Sunday, March 1, 2015

Easy peasy minestrone soup recipe. Maybe a little sad I'm posting a recipe for this, but maybe you forgot all about making a vat of soup on the cheap.

2 carrots, peeled + sliced

6 stalks celery, sliced

2 zucchini, sliced

1/4 cup tomato paste

2 onions, chopped

40 oz canned diced tomatoes

15 oz canned, drained white kidney beans

1 cup mini shell pasta

2 litres (~8 cups) water

1 tsp basil

2 tbsp oregano

Celery salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

Bring water to a boil. Stir in tomato paste and tomatoes. Add in everything but the shell pasta. 10 minutes before serving, add in the shell pasta and serve when the pasta is cooked to your liking. Be prepared to add a little more water, if the starchiness of the pasta soaks up a heap of the liquid.

Thursday, January 15, 2015

Not everything can be smashed in a waffle iron looking Pinterest-perfect, so don't be a knob and fall for that shit. Instead, try these latke style potato pancake waffles.

My grandma and I have made many kartoffelpfannkuchen over the years. The main ingredients are onions and potatoes. An egg typically binds, but not this time. I threw in a cheese alternative. Chives, also. Both nutritional yeast OR daiya work wonderfully. I cooked these in my waffle iron until not only the light went off to say it was finished, but until steam stopped escaping from the iron. Typically waffles take 6 minutes to cook, 7 on the nose worked perfectly for me.

I cooked for 7 minutes, in my well-oilediron.. which is a few minutes longer than my waffle iron pressured me into thinking at first. If you open your iron up too early, the waffle will split open and get stuck to the plates. Cook until there is no longer any steam rising from the iron.

*I've made these both with and without the PB2 powder, and like them a bunch either way. If you're not sure, taste the batter without the powder - if you feel compelled, add in the PB2. (do it).

In a small blender or food processor (I used a Magic Bullet) blend Ingredients I for 1-2 minutes, until creamy and smooth. Place in a medium bowl, with all of Ingredients II and stir until incorporated evenly.

Whisk together Ingredients III in a large bowl. Create a well and stir in the liquid mixture.

Cook according to your waffle iron's instructions. For my Toastmaster Belgian Waffle Maker, I needed 1/3 cup batter per waffle and cooked for 6 minutes (until steam no longer rose from the iron).

** White peppercorns can be found at your local bulk store. You don't need heaps, and they're cheap as sin. 1/4 cup of these cost about $0.30 :

First off, get some rice/quinoa/couscous started.Next, melt the butter in a pan. Add in your fresh produce, and place a lid on top. While that's cooking, make up your paste.To make the paste, I used a Magic Bullet. Place all ingredients inside and add half of your reserved water. Blend until smooth, scraping down the sides after pulsing. Add the remainder of the water, if needed.The vegetables take about 10-12 minutes to cook through. Once they're done, pour in your curry paste, mix thoroughly, and serve alongside your grain of choice.

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Just last week, my good friend Miranda / @irresistiblyveganmailed me a full-size FIELD ROAST. From the american west coast, to smack dab in the centre of Canada. It was packed with ice packs and and bubble wrap and everything. I was floored and her kindness. I feel something to do with me texting her in complete devastation about Field Roast not being shipped into Canada anymore had something to do with it {read Field Roasts commentary here}.

I know it won't take me long to polish off that 10" mound of nirvana. So I sorted out a recipe for a cranberry and mushroom seitan roast, to help tide me over after the gluttonous consumption. This reminds me VERY much of Field Roast's apple and sage breakfast links, except I added in pulsed mushrooms, onions and cranberries.

The base of this recipe is vital wheat gluten. It's also referred to as wheat gluten, gluten flour, or vital wheat flour. Bob's Red Mill explains it best, "[...]Vital Wheat Gluten is made from the protein found in the endosperm of the wheat berry, containing 75% to 80% protein. When combined with water it becomes highly elastic and has a taffy-like texture". This is the base of a HEAP of your favourite vegan chinese dishes that contain vegan friendly meat alternatives.

..What are we looking at cost-wise, though?

Bob's Red Mill - 632g at Sobey's = $8.99CDN / $1.44CDN per 100g

In Bulk - per 100g at Bulk Barn = $1.20CDN per 100g (being extremely mindful of their $3 of a $10 purchasecoupon quite often in full effect.. student and senior's day too)

Because this recipe calls for about 1 1/2 cups, you're looking at about $2. Plus the cost of spices, which isn't heaps. Besides, aren't we paying $3.50 for 8 thin slices of this stuff?

I found this roast, straight out of the oven, to be really spongy and chewy (in a good, sausage-y way), but once I let it set in the fridge overnight, it firmed up and shaved wonderfully. I have MORE than enough to sauté for breakfast sandwiches, or dice up for pizza and kolaches.

Ingredients III - Pulse into very small bits and set aside5 mushrooms1/2 an onion, equaling about 1/3 cup5 tbsp fresh cranberries

Heat your oven to 325F. Get a cookie sheet ready with two pieces of tin foil, stacked on top of each other, that are about the size of your cookie sheet (which ought to be at least 9x9")

In a large bowl, whisk together Ingredients I. In a small bowl, whisk together Ingredients II then immediately stir in Ingredients III. Incorporate your wet mixture, into your dry mixture. Begin by mixing in with a fork, then work with your hands until a moist, slightly sticky dough forms. If you need a bit more VWG at this point, add a teaspoon over top your dough ball. Knead for at least 3 minutes to activate the gluten.

Transfer your dough to your tin foil. Shape into a log that's about 8 inches/20cm long. Roll up like a Tootsie Roll and twist the edges, being mindful not to wrap too tightly, as the roast will expand a little upon baking.

Bake for a total of 90 minutes, flipping the roast to a new side after each 30 minute interval.

I sliced my roast up the following morning and immediately made the saddest sandwich of everyone's youth: meat, earth balance, nayo and mustard. I can't fake sick and watch Price is Right this morning, but that's only because it's Sunday.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Amy from @TheVeganRunnerGirl is at it again with #TheVeganCookingClub, featuring holiday cookies as a theme this round. I haven't made gingerbread cookies for a month of Sundays so I figured it was about the right time to sort out gingerbread drop cookies. These have an optional bit of crushed candy canes that get baked on top, which nicely accompanies the rich, gingery, molasses drop cookie. Makes 24 3-inch cookiesIngredients I1/2 cup vegan butter1/2 cup molasses3/4 cup white sugar1 tbsp non-dairy milk1/4 tsp almond extract1 1/2 tsp ground ginger1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg1 tsp freshly grated cinnamonIngredients II2 cups white flour1 tsp baking powder1 tsp baking sodaoptional - crushed candy canes, on a plate, to top before bakingPreheat oven to 350F.In your mixer, cream all of Ingredients I together for 2-3 minutes on a medium speed.In a small bowl, whisk together Ingredients II and slowly add into your mixer.If topping with crushed candy canes: Using a 1-tbsp ice cream scooper, scoop dough and release dough into your hand. Lightly dunk the the cookie's top into the candy cane mixture, and place on the cookie sheet, candy-side-up. Arrange 3 x 4, totaling 12 cookies to a sheet.If nixing the candy cane topping: Using a 1-tbsp ice cream scooper, scoop dough and release dough onto the cookie sheet, arranging cookies 3 x 4, totaling 12 cookies to a sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are lightly browned. The cookies will be a little darker on the bottoms, and the candy cane topping will have melted into the crevices of the cookies, and will harden upon cooling. Let cool on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

In a small pot, add in the butter from Ingredients II. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add in the paste you just made. Allow the flavours to come 'round for a few minutes, then add in your vegetables.

Stir occasionally for 5 minutes while you make your coconut cream.

To make your coconut cream, throw the coconut milk + cashews in a blender until smooth and creamy. I used the same blender for my cashew cream, as I did to make the paste. Nothing to it but a quick rinse. Add coconut cream from Ingredients III to your pot, stir, and serve once the vegetables are thoroughly cooked through.

Serve with rice, quinoa, couscous, etc. Top with some slivered almonds.